RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 33, 1 October 1931, Page 3

RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

(Press Assn.—

STANTON'S DEATH LEADER DESCRIBES PARTY'S MOVEMENTS WHEN BAD WEATHER CAME BELL AND ADDIS PRAISED

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

TAUMARUNUI, Wed. An inquest concerning the death of Warwick Stanton, the victim of the Ruapehu tragedy, was opened to-day, before the Coroner, Mr A. S. Baird. Graham Brook Bell gave evidence that he was one of the party of 14 that climbed Mount Ruapehu on Saturday, August 29. The equipment included two 40ft. ropes, four ice axes, a compass, a altimeter, a spyglass and a torch, one day's rations for 18 persons, one flask of brandy and whisky mixed,. and additional garments in a rueksack. When the weather became bad the party left the crater basin and proceeded down the mountain. Visibilty was bad. They used the compass and found their way down to a plateau, bounded on three sides by gorges, before mid-night, spending the night in shelter. The separation of the party took place between 8.30 and- 9 o'clock on Sunday- morning. They travelled down the slopes by glissading in parties of two and three, and when they got down the party, of necessity, was strung out a good deal. The leaders went on down the valley travelling fast, and the rear party of six did not see them again

Thought Then Out of Danger Witness thought the party ahead was out of danger and was making for the Chateau, which they expected to reach easily. Witness and his party got into a river valley. They followed down the river valley, looking for a track running east, as indicated on the map. Witness knew then that they were west of the Chateau. On failing to find the track they went into the bush to see what the going was like there, in order to make for the road. It was diffieult going, and they decided that it would be too long a job to make the road and retraced their steps up the valley with the intention of locating themselves and traversing the snow-line to the east. Shortly afterwards they were rescued. Visibility was bad from 3.30 on Saturday afternoon until 7.30 on Sunday morning, when it improved, but the clouds were very low. Addis Gives Evidence Harold John Addis described the wanderings of the other party until he and Stanton decided, as some of the party were exhausted, to push on for help. On the Monday morning they took their bearings, and mistook Hauhangatahi for Ngauruhoe. They made their plans accordingly, and had their surmise been correct they would have come out all right, but as their judgment was incorrect they became further involved. There was no sun to give them direction. Witness and Stanton followed the stream until Stanton became. exhausted. Witness considered it his duty to push on for assistance, and he did so, after making Stanton comfortable. Stanton at that time did not appear to understand what witness was saying. Richard Cobbe, manager of the chateau, gave evidence of the anxiety felt for the party about eight o'clock on Saturday night. A party went out searching and stayed out all night. Witness sent another party out early on Sunday morning. Witness then detailed the. further measures taken to find the lost mountaineers. When Cobbe had concluded his evidence, Graham Bell said that prior to the party leaving for the mountain he obtained the necessary equipment from Guide 0. Pedersen, and although Cobbe was not aware that the students had left to climb Ruapehu, the Guide was aware of the fact. Rescue Efforts Dwyer gave evidence regarding the organisation of the search parties from Taumarunui and other King Country towns. The management of the Chateau appeared confident that the missing party would be rescued and on the Monday witness eommunicated with Mr. C. A. Boles, Mayor of Taumarunui. Witness described the further measures taken to recover the missing students and Stanton until September 12, when Mr W. G. Nelson and his party of surveyors took over the search. Witness said he examined Stanton's body at the morgue. His hands and nose were slightly frostbitten, but the body was in a remarlcably good state of preservation. On Tuesday September 18 between 300 and 400 men were engaged in the search. The response to the call for assistance was magnificent and the men did splendid work. The guests and staff of the Chateau did wonderful work and gave the searchers every assistance.

Finding of Body W. G. Nelson, who led the search paVty which'. trecovered Stantopi's body outlined the measures taken to comb the bush and the finding of the body after a conference with Addis had narrowed the area to 30 acres. In witness' opinion the body was as Addis had left Stanton. The body was well preserved owing to its having been covered with snow for a week during which time there were heavy frosts. The Coroner said that Bell displayed great judgment in leading the party down the mountain. The trouble was not due to his leadership, but to the breaking away of a section of the party. He considered that Addis had acted in a proper manner in pushing on after leaving Stanton in order to get assistance. The Coroner paid a tribute to the men who responded to the call for help in a manner characteristic of the British race. No blame was attachable to anyone. A verdict was returned that Stanton's death was due to syncope brought on by exposure and exhaustion.

regular employees were engaged on beautifying work and he wished to know whether these men should do this work. Define Its Position Councillor Smith said that the material referred to in the committee's recommendation was kerbing. The committee had not felt justified in giving permission for the use of material of this description and he did not consider that Mr. Tschopp had the right to ask for it. "The committee, he considered, had a right to define its position. According to Councillor E. Johnson, three or four of the council's regular employees had been engaged on beautifying work with the result that regular maintenance was being neglected. It had been absolutely understood, he said, that this beautifying work should be done under the unemployment scheme and that the council should only be required to find supervision. The Works Committee did not consider it fair to the engineer that regular employees should be taken away from maintenance work for the purpose of beautification. Move For Deletion Councillor Coleman contended that if this was the case, the engineer should have brought the matter before the Mayor as chairman of the Reserves Committee, which was in charge of Mr. Tschopp and his work. He moved that the clause under discussion be deleted and Councillor G. Urquhart seconded the motion. The Mayor said that the responc sibility for the financial side of the beautification work at present being carried out at Whaka, rested with the Parks and Reserves Committee. He wished it to be understood that on the occasion when regular council employees were working on beautification, it had been during a "silent" week when the relief workers were. not engaged. Councillor Galbraith: They were working to-day, sir, I saw them myself. Not Absolute Control. The Mayor said that the responsibility for balancing its own budget rested with the Parks and Reserves Committee. The Works Committee had not absolute control of all council employees — other committees were entitled to their services in equal measure. Councillor J ohnson : I maintain that the first work of the council employees is to keep the roads and streets in order. Mr. Tschopp and Unemployed Councillor N. M. Keane said that his impression was that the beautification work was to be carried out by Mr Tschoop and the unemployed. He certainly did not think that beautification activities should take men away from maintenance work. The Mayor said that there was no evidence that this was taking place. Several unemployed men were doing beautification work with one of the council's regular employees as supervisor and with the use of one council truck. He had seen no evidence. that maintenance work was suffering. Councillor Galbraith: I see it every day. . • Councillor Smith: And I see it every morning. The Mayor: It appears to me as though the Works' Committee is tak-

I* ing exception to this work being conk trolled by another committee. »* Councillor Galbraith: Not at all. if Pin-Pricking The Mayor: They lose no opport£ unity of pin-pricking : they should eni?,, deavour to be a little more. generousr However, we are getting nowheret" There is a definite resolution beforh the council. v Councillor Smith: One minte, sii£ Who is in control of this scheme? £ The Mayor: The Parks and Re? serves Committee. £ Councillor Smith: That is news' t$ me. I do not see how they come into it. I thought that we had a resoliK tion that the work should be. put ixf the hands of the Works Committe'^ Councillor Johnson said that h'0 thought this resolution should bi looked up. His recollection cOincidfed with Councillor Smith's. At Whaka a road was being opened up, and road was under the jurisdiction o^ the Works' Committee. Minutes Consulted : ^ At the direction of the Mayor the minutes were consulted and after some search Mr. Jackson announce| that Councillor Smith was right. Thj^ matter had first been brought fdf= ward by the General Committee ap^ had been deferred pending the apj pointment of a landscape architect. • j Later the Works' Committee had' recommended that work on theornamental islands in Tryon Strepl at Whaka should be proceeded witlS, and at a later date still the council decided that Mr. Tschopp's work should be in the hands of the Reserves Committee. Apparently therefore three committees had had a hani| in the matter. '% Councillor Urquhart: But it wa| finally placed in the hands ' of thi§ Reserves .Committee. ' £ Councillor Smith said he would lifce a definite ruling as to which corii| mittee was in control. The Mayor: My ruling is that thg latest decision of the council plaeinij? the control with the Reserves Comt* mittee, overrules the other two. Wash Our Hands Of It Councillor Smith: So that we have nothing to do with it? The Mayor : Except to supply 'fKe men. Councillor Smith: "We don't even want to do that. We want to wash our hands of the whole thing. I think the best thing is for the Works' Gommittee to resign in a body. A voice: From the council? Councillor Smith: No; as a com- - mittee. Councillor Johnson asked whether there was any decision of the council allocating the plots in Tryon Street as a reserve. The Mayor said this had not been done. Councillor Johnson: Then -it is a road and is under the Works' Committee. Councillor Coleman said that the concern of the Works Committee was with the streets and roads. Beautification did not come within its province. Councillor Galbraith rose to his feet to continue the discussion but * was ruled out of order. Motion Carried The Mayor thereupon put Councillor Coleman's motion for the deletion of the Works Committee's recommendation, and on a show of hands it was declared carried by five votes to four. The Mayor, Councillors Urquhart, Coleman, Wackrow, and Bayfeild voted for the motion, and Councillors Smith, Johnson, Keane and Galbraith made up the "noes." Immediately the division was declared Councillors Smith and Galbraith tendered their resignations from the Works Committee, but Mayor indicated that he could 1Tbt accept them in this manner and the discussion lapsed.